He Remembered
by Sumire06
Summary: It was the last time Dark would ever see Rika, but certainly not the last he'd think of her.


**[Author Comments: Man, I wrote this before I read any of the manga :I So all I had to go on was the anime, and let me tell you- adding in that Rika Harada woman? DUMB. She's literally not in the manga whatsoever, so to include her in the anime- and then only have her in brief flashbacks at that- was stupid. Anyway, this isn't a rant about my disliking of Rika. I actually wrote this drabble using the few flashbacks we see in the anime, as well as a few ideas of my own based on Dark's thoughts in the anime. So. Yeah. I'm somewhat proud of the writing of this, despite everything. I just hope y'all enjoy it, too :) ]**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Dark Mousy, Daisuke Niwa, Rika Harada, Risa Harada, Riku Harada or the D.N. Angel series. They are all the sole property of Yukiru Sugisaki, the creator. I barely even really own the plot of this drabble, actually.**

* * *

He remembered, with great clarity, the day he had to leave behind the woman he loved so much. It wasn't a choice he picked willingly; if he could, he'd stay and live a glorious, amazing life with her. But no, the fate that the Thief had endured for centuries was now tearing him from his Sacred Maiden; his Rika. This was not something he would ever forget- in both anger and grief. This moment would define him for the rest of his existence. He vowed to never allow this kind of pain to happen again, to him _or_ another woman.

He remembered how the light snowflakes felt against his skin, cooling his face ever so gently as they slowly drifted down to the town below from the sky he flew through; the early winter breeze that tickled the hair in his face, smelling so fresh and clean and crisp as he silently glided across the cloudy sky to the meeting place. He'd sent her a note, consisting only of a location and time along with his signature black feather as a way to tell her who the sender was. He knew she'd never arrive late when it came to him; on that day, however, he wished she _would_ be late, if only to delay what must be done.

He remembered feeling detached that evening, acting as though his Tamer didn't completely exist and like his body moved on its own accord. It was entirely unlike his usual self; optimistic, teasing and almost arrogant. His Tamer, he could tell, was restless and uneasy about the spirit's plans- the Thief hadn't explained his intentions to the teen- but couldn't care less at that point. Part of him blamed the young boy for putting him through this torture of losing Rika, but his more rational side reasoned that it would happen one day, anyway; no point getting upset.

The moment he landed on the white-covered grassy field, ever so gracefully and silently as only a Phantom Thief could, and noticed her delicate, lithe form across the way, he remembered just how damn much he loved that woman. From the gentle way her smile took when she looked at him, to the sound of her soft voice uttering his name before he flew off into the night. Every tiny, little detail about Rika Harada would forever be locked away, in both his mind _and_ heart, even if a hundred years passed by. There would be nothing to stop him from always loving her.

Then she turned around, facing him in such a way that her brown, silken locks and light pink evening dress twirled around her and she looked at him with those beautiful, chocolate brown eyes that he drowned with ecstasy in every night in his dreams. She smiled so tenderly that his heart clenched- there was no way he'd be able to keep his emotions reigned in like he had wanted. Not when just a single gaze from her sent him into such a spiral of mixed feelings; regret, sadness, guilt, never-ending love, devotion.

"Mr. Dark?" Rika questioned, the twilight wind carrying her melodic voice to his ears. She took one step toward him, but he retreated one, refusing to let her any closer to him. He knew that if she did, his resolve would break and his second attempt of this would be worse, for both of them.

Rika looked at the winged Thief with mild hurt, clutching a hand to the neck of her dress collar. It was clear that she wanted to go to him; to hold him tightly. God knew he wanted the same. But by now, almost two years in knowing him, the Harada woman understood enough of when to keep her distance.

"Mr. Dark, what's the matter?" she questioned again, the hurt that showed in her eyes evident in her tone. "Has something happened that I cannot come any closer to you?"

The concerned note in her words made his chest tighten further with guilt. How could he drive away the sole person he cherished most in the world? It was unfair and not right!

_"Dark... if this is too much, then don't do it,"_ his teenage host, Daiki, said through the link that bonded them for the time being.

_'It has to be done,'_ he replied in the same manner, his tone solemn and quiet. Hearing his Tamer brought a little bit of his previous resolution back and he made his face harden with what he hoped looked like iciness.

_"But... Dark-"_ Daiki tried to argue, but the spirit cut him off, his demon familiar lightly stretching itself so the long, black wings straightened at the Thief's sides.

_"It has. To be. _Done_,"_ the Phantom repeated, the words clipped with an angry, hard edge. But it shut the teen up, which was what he needed right now- mental silence.

"Mr. Dark, please. Say something," Rika pleaded, still not moving a step forward. He could see the shine of hurt and confusion in her eyes; the sight made him want to cry, the promise he made to her a year before of never hurting her in any sort of way springing to mind and that was enough to set the burning sensation of tears to his amethyst eyes. But he forced them away for the moment and as much as he _really_ didn't want to, he also forced himself to tell that woman what he hoped would keep her away for good, which would not only make her happy in the long run, but also allow his fate to go on without causing more pain.

"We can no longer be together," he told the Harada, desperately wishing he could avert his eyes so he didn't have to see the heartbreak on her face. "I can't see you any longer, Rika."

A hand went to her mouth, to muffle her choked sob of shock, no doubt, and he wanted to dive off the cliff of the city without his trusty rabbit friend to his back. But he strained himself to continue while she remained speechless, his voice still quiet.

"We knew this would happen one day; that I'd have to go, possibly for ever. But... I never anticipated for _this_ to happen... For me to fall so much in love with you, Rika. The thought of leaving you almost physically hurts me." Dark paused. "But this is my fate. You knew from the start that I could never live a normal life with you. We could never belong together, because of how different we are from each other." The burning in his eyes had sharpened as he spoke, making his next and final words more difficult to say as a lump grew larger in his throat. "So... this is the last time you'll ever see me."

Pausing to allow his words to sink in, he straightened his wings once more, then closed his eyes, the corners wet with his regretful tears, and folded his right wing to cover half his face. He didn't want her to see him cry; not like _this_.

Then, once he heard her small footfalls heading toward him quickly, Dark knew it was time to leave. Opening his eyes, he watched Rika run, pain and sadness clear on her beautiful, pale face. She was saying something, but his grief was so overwhelming, he only saw her lips move. He wanted to imagine that she was calling his name, though.

Unfurling his wings, Dark thrust himself into the air before she could reach him. He flew higher and higher, the pang of his own heartbreak growing stronger and deeper within his chest, until Rika was merely a pink dot among the white snow of the field, and then he disappeared into the night, a few shed tears left behind in the sky being the only proof he'd been there at all.

"Farewell... my Rika..."

* * *

_"You really loved her, huh?"_

Dark smiled fondly at the kind, sympathetic tone his new host used, his amethyst eyes still fixated on the weathered tombstone before him. It was the anniversary of Rika Harada's death; the least he could do was visit his only love's grave. The Thief slipped his hands into his pockets, nodding slightly in reply to the redhead.

"I still do," Dark answered the teen, his words distant and calm, "And I know I always will, even in another fifty years."

The fashionable man remained standing in front of the gravestone, simply remembering the time he had spent with the Harada woman so many decades ago. The light snow that lazily fell into his hair and on the ground did nothing to ease his lingering guilt of how he'd left the woman, either. But after another five minutes of tender memories, Dark decided that it was time to go.

"Best be on our way, or else Emiko will put you through some hellish traps tomorrow," the spirit piped up, sounding just a bit _too_ cheerful for his surroundings and what he spoke of.

He turned to walk away, toward the entrance of the Azumano City Cemetery, and noticed the Harada twins heading in his direction, flowers in their hands. Dark noticed the short-haired girl, Riku, smiling and talking about something with Risa.

Risa.

Dark couldn't resist the faint smile when he saw Risa. She looked so much like his Rika, but would never be the same as her grandmother. They were so very similar, in both looks and personality, yet he only wanted the original one and always would.

As the girls passed the Niwa curse and his eyes briefly met Risa's, Dark knew that his love for Rika would remain to exist, so long as he remembered.


End file.
